Sandygate boxers catch the eye at home show

Sandygate Amateur Boxing Club’s first black tie dinner show of the year took place at a jam-packed Burnley Mechanics on Friday night.

With 10 exciting bouts, it was another great event.

Stoops Estate’s Stuart “Rocket” Reilly (10) opened the show against K.Matley (Partington ABC) in a skills bout, with the Cherry Fold Primary pupil taking full control of the rounds, showing just why his coach rate him so high.

The second skills contest saw Sandygate’s Charly “Blue” Vassilev (10) face J.Topham (Littleborough), with both young boxers putting on a cracking display.

The first competitive contest of the evening saw North West champion “Smokin’” Joe Crawford (13) face Midlands champion L.Ali (Birmingham City ABC). From the opening bell, Crawford sent wave upon wave of attacks, working the body with strength and guile, connecting the better in all clinches.

The second once again saw the St Christopher’s Year 9 pupil control the ring, rolling under the lead and working the body once more with great effect. The final round was the Ightenhill boxers finest ,working from the jab and controlling the clinches, earning a unanimous verdict.

Cliviger’s Bram “Pretty-Boy” Richmond (12) boxed the durable C.Daniels (Fox ABC). The Blessed Trinity Year 8 pupil boxed cautiously in the first, using a long lead rear hand straight combination, which penetrated the tight guard of Daniels. The second and third Richmond started to control, with his awkward style proving too much for the Mancunian as he also collected a unanimous verdict.

North West Champion Jaden “J-Dogg” Haworth-Franklin (13) took on D.Brown (Sale West ABC) in a no-holds barred fight fest, with the Unity Year 8 student showing showing some real bite, winning all three rounds against a very tough opponent.

Leading jabs and hook phases of attack racked up the points, earning another unanimous decision.

Rio “DJ” Lynch (12) narrowly lost out in a tight affair against the impressive D.Robb (Sharpstyle). Losing the first, Lynch came out in the second to even the scorecards, and it went down to the final round in a close split decision contest.

Making his debut, Sulaiman “Sol” Malik (13) hoped to bring the club back to winning ways against L.Roberts (Keighley ABC). Malik started at a tremendous pace, pressuring Roberts with body shots and calculated aggression. The Marsden Heights pupil landed some clever counters and won every round for a unanimous verdict.

Trafalgar’s Sam “Slaughter-man” Walsh (14) fought D.Reid (Darnhill and Heywood ABC) in a cracking contest. The pace was blistering from the outset, with Unity’s Year 9 pupil landing some nice combinations and body shots.

Round two saw more aggression from Walsh as he pushed his opponent back again.

In the third, Reid fought back strongly but too late to make a lasting impression against the Burnley boxer, who collected a unanimous verdict.

North West Champion Ryan “Shere” Haythornthwaite (15) closed the show against Blackburn’s A.Akhtar (Fit-2-XL) in an untidy affair.

With both boxers’ styles clashing. With Haythornthwaite’s aggressive go-forward nature, entwined with Akhtar’s flailing long arms, they got tangled throughout, with the Burnley boxer catching clean on the way in, he managed to score when the opportunity arose to take another unanimous verdict to cap an impressive night for Sandygate.

The club’s main benefactors Howard Rigg Properties were in attendance at the venue, and the club would like to thank all for their continued support.